Congenital anaplastic astrocytoma with favorable prognosis. Case report.

A large intracranial tumor that caused macrocrania leading to dystocia was demonstrated by prenatal ultrasound examination. After birth, computerized tomography (CT) confirmed the presence of a giant supratentorial tumor with a large cyst. When the infant was 20 days old, the tumor was radically extirpated. Neuropathological examination revealed an astrocytoma with focal signs of anaplasia showing a macrocyst as well as multiple microcysts resulting from hemorrhages into the tumor. Although no adjuvant radio- or chemotherapy was administered, the child had nearly normal psychomotor development without clinical or CT evidence of tumor recurrence, and is now 3 years old.